The Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool will come to an end this weekend, and Arne Slot’s arrival will be officially announced thereafter.
It might be argued that the Reds first recruited the Dutch coach because of his reputation for playing offensive, intelligent football.
With the Anfield team, Klopp has had great success playing a brand of football he called “heavy metal football,” or Gegenpressing to give it its correct name.
Although it makes sense, Slot’s hire by Liverpool may be an attempt to create a “Klopp lite” in the dugout, therefore it may not be the ideal choice.
The fact that Slot comes in first after Klopp will hurt.
Stan Collymore, a former striker for the Reds, thinks the Dutchman is in any case in trouble. “A significant tick for Arne Slot is that he speaks English in the changing room.
“A coach in a Dutch league that isn’t your typical one—a big red cross,” he wrote in his CaughtOffside special piece.
“Slot will approach things with the mindset of, ‘If I do half as well and keep these in the top four…'” and his only goal will probably be to win the FA Cup or League Cup. He will then be expecting Liverpool to be more competitive in season two.
“I believe Liverpool Football Club has adopted a practical strategy, realizing they will never be able to replace Jurgen Klopp and choosing instead to bring in someone who is at least capable of upholding the current situation and keeping the team competitive.”
“Slot is adamant about his ability to perform, or else he wouldn’t accept the position, but it’s similar to how everyone anticipated David Moyes’ success when he took over for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Although Moyes was equally talented, he soon realized he couldn’t quite reach those high notes. Slot won’t necessarily hit those high notes, in my opinion. Why? For it’s challenging to follow in the footsteps of a Sir Alex, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, etc.
Arne Slot will have a challenging assignment at Liverpool. “He will go down in Liverpool history as the man who succeeded Jurgen Klopp. He was a big, strong, and charismatic guy who had a strong personality and a strong bond with the scousers, which gave him the motivation to go above and beyond.” It went beyond simply overseeing the football team as manager.
“In my opinion, Slot may continue to strengthen Liverpool’s roster. However, after he has a solid foundation, Michael Edwards will need to go out and recruit two or three more players, similar to the Manes and Salahs of this world. Gamers who are reasonably priced but won’t strain their budget.
“He has a chance if that occurs, but sometimes I feel like there are really hard-to-follow characters in football.”
It’s reasonable to draw comparisons to the Sir Alex/David Moyes scenario.
It’s easy to forget that Moyes was highly regarded when he took over at Man United and that the departing manager reportedly requested him.
Everton teams under Moyes were known for their skillful football play, but after the United fiasco, that perception was shattered, and he has found it difficult to move on.
For Slot, the world is essentially his oyster, and even though he will have time, he must act quickly.
He must possess the fortitude to face challenges head-on and demonstrate to the Liverpool team that he is a worthy successor to a man whose influence will endure for a very long time.
Liverpool will be hoping that luck favors the bold once more since it could go either way.